from sundance institute

by Robert Redford

For most of us fall brings a chill in the air and the anticipation of the holidays. But for the team at Sundance Institute that pulls together our annual Film Festival, fall is all about sifting through thousands of films and readying the theatres of Utah for the guests and screenings of the Festival in January.

Looking Ahead to 2011

I’m excited about the changes that John Cooper and I have discussed over the past several months. . . A new documentary premiere section that’s a nod to the continued evolution of nonfiction film. A Festival opening that isn’t focused on a single film but includes docs and narratives by U.S. and international filmmakers, along with a program of shorts. A new location for New Frontier that’s a sort of campus for truly innovative work that blurs boundaries of film, art, and technology. I’m also excited about one thing that isn’t new at all: the chance to experience the creativity and craft of storytellers from all over the world. My favorite moments of the Festival are those I spend in the theatres.

With anticipation for the Festival now at its height I’m reminded that too few people are aware that the Festival is but one part of Sundance Institute, the nonprofit that presents the Film Festival and a range of year-round programs. The Institute’s mission is to support independent artists in the development of their new work and to connect that work t0 audiences around the world. As a nonprofit, we’re free to identify, support, and present film and theatre projects based upon their creative merits rather than their market potential.